Hermetically sealed submersible pumping structure



Sept.. 21, 1948. F. c. GILMAN HERMETICALLY SEALED SUBMERSIBLE UMPING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 1, 1945 llllli failli/Iliff c. GILMAN 2,449,772 HERMETI LY SE D SUBMERSIBLE PUMPING S UCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1. 1945 Frede/75K L Elli/Hf! Patented Sept. 21, 1948 STATS raNT. orrica HERMETICALLY SEALED SUBMERSIBLE PUMPING STRUCTURE Delaware Application March l, 1945, Serial No. 580,469

i claims. (ci. a-sr) This invention relates to motion transmitting devices. and more particularly to moisture ex clusion means therefor.

An object of the present invention'iis to provide novel means for effectively transmitting rotary motion through a moisture-proof barrier.

Another object is to provide in a rotative power transmitting member comprising two sections. an operating connection between the two sections for transmitting rotary 'motion from one section to the other, wherein a fluid-tight seal or barrier is connected with the operating connection in such manner as to completely and hermetically seal one section of the power transmltting member from the other section thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a deep well pump wherein-an electric motor or other type of driver is completely submerged under normal operating conditions, and in which novel means are incorporated for completely and hermetically sealing the electric motor or other driver from contact with the liquid within which the unit is submerged.v

Another object is to provide in a pump, a cas-` ing wherein the motor is mounted inthe lower end of the casing for driving a pump operating shaft located above the motor, in which the motoris provided with a drive crank having an operating connection with a driven crank xedly related to the pump shaft, and in which novel means are sealingly connected with the oper ating connection and the pump casing `to coinpletely and hermetically seal the motor from the pump structure located thereabcve. l

A further object is to provide in a deep wel pump. a drive crank, a driven crank. and a nutating operating connection between the drivev and driven cranks, in which a novel deformable fluid-tight barrier` -is sealingly connected with the nutating operating connection and the pump casing to completely `and hermetically seal a drive crank from the driven crank.

A still further object is to provide a deep well pump wherein the motor is incorporated in the casing beneath the pumpingunit for complete submergence in the fluid being pumped, in

which a deformable seal is incorporated inthe casing to provide a duid-tight partition therein which isolates the motor from the pumping unit, and in which means are provided for maintaining air pressure inside the motor at the same value as the effective fluid pressure on the outery side of the partition. With these and other objects in view, as may appear from the accompanying specification,

the invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts,` which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing a hermetlcally sealed submersible pumping structure of a preferred iorrn embodying the invention, and the features forming the invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion oi a pump casing showing a centrifugal pump housed therein and incorporating the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken :along the line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the operating connection between the drive and driven cranks and the deformable seal which completely and hermetically divides the power-containing section of the pump structure from the remaining pump structure located thereabcve.

i Figure -4 isa view similar to Figure 3 but illustrating a different type of deformable seal. Figure 5 is a view similarl to Figure :3 but illustrating another form of construction.

In the` drawingaFigures 1, 2, and 3, illustrate a pump casing I which is made` up of sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 arranged end to end and connected into a unitary structure in any suitable manner. as bythreaded'oints. The section 2 con-` nains the'stationary pump passage structures 6 and pump rotor 1. the latter including a rotative shaft 8 andiluid impellers 9 ,xedly con` nected therewith. Fluid inlet openings I0 are f provided in the section 2 for-` admitting fluid to be pumped to the'inlet eye II'of the rotor 1.

In Figures 1 and 3, the lower end of the sectionv 2 is provided with a transverse end wall Il which `is provided -with a bearing l2 for rotatably supporting the lower end of the rotor shaft 8. and this wall is threadedly connected at I3 with the section 3.

Beneath the wall Il and inside the lower end ofthe pump casing Iv is mounted an electric motor I4, the latter including a drive shaft l5 which is arranged in co-axial relationship with the rotor shaft il. To theiupper end `of the shaft l5 is nxedly connected a rotative member or drive crank I6. A rotative member or driven crank I1 is xedly connected with iihe rotor shaft 8. Rotary motion `is transmitted from the drive crank I8 to the driven crank I1 through a nutational operating connection I8, the latter comprising a shaft-like member with its axis pumped. A bearing crank I6 and the driven crank I1. In the arrangement shown, the operating connection I3 operates with a nutational movement about a point located on a line common to the axes of the drive shaft I5 and the rotor shaft 6.

Both the driving crank I 6 and the driven crank I1 are designed as near as possible as bodies of revolution in order to obtain a balanced rotor for the pump as well as the motor and a minimum of fluid friction for` the driven crank I1 which is submerged in water or other fluid being 20 is incorporated in the section 4 to afford support for that end of the motor shaft I5 which is connected with the drive crank I6. While the bearings on bushings I9 4 phragm 36. This is possible because the deformation of the diaphragm travels around the axis of the whole unit at the same rate as the pump rotor and motor shaft, and thereby at the same rate as motion between the surface 39 and the flexible diaphragm 36 is therefore merely a slip of shear motion across the narrow body of water between are eccentric with respect to the shafts 6 and I5, the bearings are inclined in such a mf'anner as to have a common axis for their bores which receive the, ends of the `operating connection I6. v A spherical bearing surface 2I is provided on the connection I8 near its center, which surface is guided in a stationary spherical bearing 22 consisting oftwo co-acting bearing sections 23 and 24. The section 23 is xedly related to the section 24 by bolts 25. The bolts 25 pass through the wal'l part 26 of the section 24,this wall part including an annular flange 21 which is clamped between the adjacent ends'of the sections 3 and 4. The wall 26 is threadedly connected at 26 and 29 with the sections 3 and 4, respectively, to connect the parts into a unitary structure.

On the outer or pump side of the spherical bearing 22 ris arranged a bell-shaped flange structure 30 which is mounted on the connection I6. The flange structure 30 consists of flanges 3| and 32, the former having a pressed flt 33 with the member I 8 and is held in place by a nut 34 threadedly connected at 35 with the member I6. Bolts 36' flxedly connect the section 32 with the section 3|.

between the sections 3| and 32 in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the member I 8. The outer rim of the diaphragm 36 is wall 26 by an annular ring 31 which is clamped to the wall 26 by bolts 36. While the wall 26 constitutes a part of the spherical bearing structure 22, this wall constitutes also a. casing coverof the motor I4.

The inner rim of the diaphragm 36 performs with the nutational operating connection I8 and the flange sections 3| and 32 a periodical sphericalmoticn so that the diaphragm 36 is thereby deformed between the two extremes shown on opposite sides in Figure 3, that is, maximum deformation in` one direction on one side of the operating connection I8 Vand maximfum deformation in the opposite direction on the diacrnetrically opposite side ofthe operating connection.

In order to minimize the dynamic force which the diaphragm must overcome in displacing the not to be a surface of revolution but a surface following the local shape of the deformed diathese two parts, because the surface 39 revolves with the rotor shaft 6 while the flexible diaphragm 36 does not. The distance between the surface 39 and the diaphragm 3,6, however, remains essentially constant, thereby shielding the diaphragm 38 from the dynamic forces of the water.

It will benoted that the bearing and casing cover defined by the wall part 26 in connection with the diaphragm 36, the flange structure 30, and the nutational operating connection I8 form an uninterrupted and moisture-proof barrier or wall between the inside of the motor and the well and pump which are filled with water, since the outer and inner margins of the flexible diaphragm 36 are hermettcallly sealed or flxed to the attached parts 26 and 31 and 3I and 32, respectively.

Since the forces on the rapidly deformed diaphragm 36 obviously should be kept as low as possible ln order toincrease the life of the diaphragm, Figure 1 illustrates means which assure equal pressure at all times on the two sides of the flexible diaphragm; that is, equal pressure at the inside and outside of the motor I5. The essential element of this feature comprises a flexible and impervious bag 40 which is protected against mechanical injuryv by a coarse screen 4I attached to the section 5. In assembly, the bag 40 is permittedl to rest loosely against the screen 4I in a collapsed position. As fluid pressure on the outside of the motor -increases l as the runit is lowered into the well or as a consequence of variations in 4I) expands to a position thereby compressing the the Water level, the bag las shown in Figure 1, air inside the motor.

Different equilibrium of pressure will be maintained by corresponding deformation of the bag 40 if the air inside the motor expands or contracts due to changes in temperature. In order to minimize the necessary deformation of the bag 40, it iis desirable to inside the motor I4 reasonably small. The filler piece 42 attached to the crank I 6 shows an example of how unnecessary air spaces may be the pump near the bottom of the well. This arrangement avoids the conventional long shaft between the motor above the ground and the pump below the ground water level. The arrangement of the motor near the The usual method of sealing a rotating machine nst a fluid involves a sealing device intended the driven crank I1. The relative keep the volume of airl present invention avoids the necessity of sealing a rotating shaft by `transmitting power from the inside to the outside of the casing throughan intermediate operating connection which performs a nutational motion without rotation about its own axis. By this arrangement it becomes possible to establish a seal between the stationary materials which are available for making the ilexible diaphragm 36 should 'be undesirable for some applications of the sealing device, it is possible to replace the diaphragm by an arrangement of bellows in the manner shown in Figured, which bellows may comprise metal or any ,other suitable material. In this form, it will be seen that the essential characteristics of the design previously described aremaintained in practically all respects, although the sections 43 and M, which correspond to the sections 23 and 24,' respectively,

are of slightly greater vertical dimension than the i sections 23 and 24. The bellows units i5 and 46 are connected one with the other in end to end relationship, and one end of the unit i5 is connected with the annular ring 41- andone end of the unit 46 is connected with a ange it attached to the nutational operating connection dit, the

- latter corresponding to the operating connection i8. The flange 48 is hermetically xed or sealed to the operating connection t9 in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the operating connection.

An alternate form of construction is shown in Figure 5, wherein the spherical bearing structure 22 of Figures l and 3 is replaced by a bearing 50 mounted in the motor driven crank 5i, which has been suitably extended vertically. The crank 5l also carries a bushing or bearing 52 corresponding to one of the bearings i8, and the other end of the nutational operating connection 53 is supported in a bushing or bearing 5d incorporated in the driven crank 55 and corresponding to the other of the bearings I9. By the arrangement of Figure 5. the attachment of the flexible diaphragm 56 to the operating connection 53 is brought considerably closer to the center about which the shaft or operating connection oscil- `lates, whereby the rapid periodical deformations of the diaphragm are appreciably reduced, which feature can be expected to prolong the life of the diaphragm and to permit the use of materiale which could not be employed in connection with a diaphragm construction and arrangement auch as that shown in Figures i and 3.

In the structure of Figure 5, the operating connection 53 includes an annular vshoulder 57 located adjacent the bearing 50 and against which is pressed a washer-like ange 58. The beaded rim 59 of the diaphragm 56 is clamped between the ilange 58 and a similar flange Bil, the latter having a sleeve 6I which is pressed on the operating connection 53, as by a nut 52. Thus the diaphragm 56 is hermetically sealed or fixed to the operating connection 53 in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the operating connection. The outer rim 63 of the diaphragm is clamped between an annular member 6i at` tached to the casing structure and a. clamp ring 86, .as by bolts-.81. l This form oi the invention, as well as that shown in Figure 4, includes a driver4 crank so designed as to minimize the relative motion between the crank and the Vdeformable diaphragm or bellowslin the same manner as the structure shown in Figures 1 `and 3.

Circuit wires or cables for the electric' motor may be protected in a fluid-tight conduit extending downwardly along the outer surface oi' the pump casing as indicated generally atta in Figure,5,' a portion `oi! the motor being indicated generally at 68. l

vIn the form. shown in Figure 5, the drive crank 5l includes a shaft part 10 which is supported in a bearing] I, which shaft vpart is bolted at 12 to a sleeve member 13, the latter being bolted at 1I to the end of the rotor 15 offthe motor 89.

While the invention has .been illustrated and described in connection with a deep wellpump, the invention is equally well adapted to `other elds of service wherein pumps and other rotating devices may be powered by an electric motor or other type of driverv which must be sealed completely and hermetically against the surrounding fluid. In fact, the invention maybe'used in any situation where it is desired to transmit rotative motion through a hermetically sealed wall or barrier. Important fields of application, for example. reside in pumps and machinery for'handling poisonous fluids, including petroleum,` where it is frequently necessary to pump fluidswhlch cannot be permitted to communicate in the least withk the atmosphere.

The term "nutational.as used herein embraces I a motion wherein the endwise halves 'or portions of the shaft-like operating connections It, t5, and 53 travel in conical paths the bases of which are of unvarying diameters, except as to any variation which may be caused by working tolerances or wear or both, and in which. the conical paths have a common vertex, the latter constituting the point about which the nutational motion of the shaft-like members or operating connections takes place.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the invention defined by the claims. l,

What is claimed is:

l. In a submersible pumping structure, a housing, a rotative drive crank in saidhousing, a rotative driven crank-in said housing, a fluid-tight wall between said drive crank and said driven crank and having a deformable portion, said fluid tight wall being connected in fluid tight relationshipto said housing, and a nutating operating connection between saldi` drive crank and said l driven crank for transmitting rotary motion from the drive crank to the driven crank, said operating connection extending through :said deformable portion and being xedly connected therewith to provide a fluid-tight joint between the deformable portion and said operating connection, said drive crank and driven crank being positioned to rotate about a common axis, said nutating operating connection comprising a shaft-like member arranged with its longitudinal axis at an angle to said common axis., said deformable portion being iixed to said shaft-like member in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft-like member, said driven crank havs ing abell-like contour conforming to the contour of said deformable portion and being spaced elastic fluidinsaid motor chamber. flexible means slightly therefrom. connected in fluid tight relationship to said con- 2. In a device of the type described. a pump necting means and to said housing and separating casing having a flexible fluid-tight end, a motor said pumping chamber from said motor chamlocated in said casing adjacent said duid-tight end I ber, and means for maintaining the pressure of and having a first crank, a pump unit located in said elastic fluid substantially equal to that of said casing and having a rotor provided with a the fluid being pumped whereby the fluid pressecond crank, a nutating operating connection besures on each side of said flexible means are subtween the first crank and the second crank, and stantially equalized comprising a flexible partition a deformable means connected with said nutatlng l in said housing separating said motor chamber operating connection'and the casing to provide a from the exterior of the housing. l l fluid-tight partition between the pump unit and 6. In a pumping structure for submergence in the motor, said casing having a fluid inlet loa fluid to be pumped, a housing having a pumpcated-between said deformable means and said ing chamber and a motor chamber, pumping pump unit elastic fluid in said casing between said u means in said pumping chamber, motor means flexible fluid tight end and said deformable in said motor chamber, means operatively conmeans, said fluid-tight end being flexible to renecting said pumping means to said motor means, spond to fluid pressure effective on the exterior elastic uid in said motor chamber, flexible means side thereof for compressing said elastic fluid to connected in fluid tight relationship to said concause an effective pressure on the motor side of n necting means and to said housing and separatsaid deformable means equal to the fluid pressure ing said pumping -chamber from said motor chameifective on the pump unit side of the deformable ber, and means for maintaining the pressure of means. said elastic fluid substantially equal to that of the 3. In a submersible pumping means structure fluid being pumped whereby the fluid pressures having a housing with power means and pumpon each side of said flexible means are substaning and means operatively connecting said power tially equalized consistingof a flexible partition means and pumping means and a' flexible diain said housing separating said motor chamber phragm connected in fluid tight relationship to from the exterior of the housing. said housing and to said connecting means for 7. In a submersible pumping structure having hermetically sealing said power means from said a housing with its exterior in contact with the pumping means, a crank member attached to said fluid to be pumped, a motor chamber in said pumping means having an internal coniform surhousing, a pumping chamber in said housing, moface spaced slightly from one surface of said diator means in said motor chamber, and pumping phragm whereby the diaphragm is shielded from means in said pumping chamber, and connecting the dynamic effects of the fluid being pumped. means operatively connecting said motor mea'ns 4. In a submersible pumping structure for subto said pumping means, the combination oi' a flexmergence in a fluid to be pumped, a housing havible partition connected in fluid tight relationship ing a pumping chamber and a motor chamber, to said housing and to said connecting means pumping means in said pumping chamber, motor and hermetically sealing said motor chamber meansin said motor chamber, means operatively 40 from said pumping chamber, elastic fluid in said connecting said motor means to said pumping motor chamber. and a flexible partition commumeans, flexible means operatively connected in nicating with the interior of said motor chamber fluid tight relationship to said housing and to and with the exterior of said housing connected said connecting means for hermetlcally sealing in fluid tight relationship to said housing.

said chambers one from the other, said flexible 45 FREDERICK C. GILMAN. means being acted upon on one side by the pressure of the fluid beingpumped in said pumping REFERENCES CITED chamber and on the other Side by the pressure 0f The following references are of record in the the fluid in said motor chamber, elastic uid in me of this patent; said motor chamber, and means for equalizing the pressures of the ensue fluid and the nula be- UNTTED STATES PATENTS ing pumped comprising flexible means acted upon Number Name Date by each of said fluids connected to that part of f 1,495,010 Ford May 20, 1924 said housing which forms said motor chamber. 1,736,094 Schmidt Nov. 19, 1929 5. In a pumping structure for submergence in 1,842,457 Mendenhall et al. Jan. 26, 1932 a fluid to be pumped, a housing having a pump- 2,344,238 Finch Mar. 14, 1944 ing chamber and a motor chamber, pumping means in said pumping chamber, motor means in FOREIGN PATENTS said motor chamber. means operatively connect- Number Country Date ing said pumping means to said motor means, 00 314.849 Italy Feb. 7, 1934 

